We were lucky to catch up with Tony Jeton Selimi recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Tony Jeton, thanks for joining us today. Parents play a huge role in our development as youngsters and sometimes that impact follows us into adulthood and into our lives and careers. Looking back, what’s something you think you parents did right?
What my parents did right wasn’t just parenting — it was legacy-building.
They were restaurateurs and farmers who worked tirelessly, not only to provide for us as children, but for the entire extended family. From a young age — as early as five — they instilled in me a deep respect for work, responsibility, and contribution. While others my age were playing with toys or glued to screens, I was learning how to cook, clean, speak three languages, and manage tasks far beyond my school duties. We had no phones, no computers, and only one hour of television a day. What we did have was purpose, structure, and a sense of belonging.
I remember standing beside my mother and father in our restaurant kitchen in Zernica, Bosnia, watching them prepare meals with love and precision for hundreds of guests. They taught me that food wasn’t just nourishment — it was service, connection, and joy. My father, meanwhile, showed me how to read at the age of 4, instilled in me a habit of reading, and later, during my teenage years, he taught me how to care for and manage staff, calculate net profit, and understand the value of every earned penny. “The customer is king,” they’d say — and I learned that excellence is not optional when you serve others.
On our farm in what is now known as the Republic of North Macedonia, I learned to milk cows, care for chickens, ride horses, and harvest crops. I became a beekeeper, a winemaker, and a steward of the natural world. I sold farm produce to the local community. These weren’t chores — they were lessons in discipline, empathy, and resilience. I learned that being kind is more important than being right, to face conflict head-on, to practice spirituality, and to show up for others, especially when they are sick or in need.
Their investment in our upbringing, education, spiritual grounding, and unwavering belief in serving others and the community shaped the man I am today. The habits, values, and mindset they cultivated in me have become the foundation of my work with thousands of clients — entrepreneurs, executives, leaders, and individuals from all walks of life — who seek clarity, transformation, and legacy.
What my parents did right was everything. They didn’t just raise me. They raised a vision. And that vision continues to expand in ways I could never have imagined, allowing me to serve the world with authenticity, kindness, and love.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
For those discovering me for the first time, I’m Tony Jeton Selimi — an individual whose life journey defies convention and whose work transforms destinies. Clients across the globe refer to me as the “DIOR” of Personal Development and Architect of Legacy-Driven Success— not just for the elegance and precision I bring to my craft, but for the multidimensional transformation I deliver to those ready to rise.
Born in Gostivar, a small town in the North Republic of Macedonia, I survived abuse, health challenges, bullying, and civil war. To save my life, my mother put me on a one-way flight to London with a rucksack on my shoulders and Two Hundred Fifty Deutsche Marks. I endured homelessness while working three jobs to fund my education. I graduated with honours from UCL, rose through the corporate ranks as a Senior Information Technologist, and led multi-billion-pound technology transformation programs before stepping into my true calling: helping others to heal, clarify what they want, and to climb their own greater heights.
Today, I’m a global authority on human behaviour, a multi-award-winning author, TEDx speaker, filmmaker, and the creator of several trademarked methodologies on activating human potential, including the 12-Step Growth Accelerator Method® — a revolutionary system that empowers entrepreneurs, executives, and leaders to master their mindset, scale their impact, and build legacy-driven lives and businesses.
Through my books, Udemy courses, documentaries, training, speaking engagements, Climb Greater Heights Life, Business, and Wealth Mastery Five-Day Transformational Training retreat, and premium coaching services, I work with high-achievers from all professional backgrounds who are navigating complex challenges in any area of life and appreciate expertise, exclsuivity, and trust — from assisting them overcome addictions, anxiety, anger, burnout, emotional blocks, relationship challenges, divorse, loss, to efffectively manage leadership transitions, business scaling, or legacy creation. My clients include A-List celebrities, CEOs, politicians, doctors, lawyers, financiers, scientists, engineers, artists, educators, and visionary entrepreneurs who seek clarity, reinvention, and strategic elevation.
What sets me apart is the fusion of three decades of cross-disciplinary study and research in science, spirituality, human behaviour, business, leadership, wealth building, AI, technology, and strategy. I integrate neuroscience, quantum physics, emotional intelligence, and timeless wisdom into every session, retreat, interview, documentary, and keynote. My work is not transactional — it’s transformational. I don’t just help people solve problems. I help them redefine who they are, why they’re here, and how they show up in the world in every critical area of life.
My signature offering, Climb Greater Heights™, is a bespoke five- or ten-day Vital Planning VIP experience held in luxury destinations worldwide. It’s designed for those who want to accelerate breakthroughs, align their inner world with their outer success, and build a legacy that transcends titles, trends, and timelines.
I’ve authored several internationally acclaimed books — A Path to Wisdom, #Loneliness, The Unfakeable Code®, A Path to Excellence, and Climb Greater Heights — each a blueprint for personal mastery and professional reinvention. My award-winning documentary Living My Illusion has sparked global conversations about authenticity, purpose, and transformation. The documentary ” And the Truth About Reading” highlights the growing problem of illiteracy in the USA and around the world.
I’m most proud of the ripple effect my work creates: the individuals and families healed, the professions elevated, the businesses transformed, the leaders awakened. My mission is to empower people to turn their problems, pressures, and pains into purpose, profits, and success into significance.
Those ready to invest in elevating their life, empowering their relationships, growing their business, or building their legacy, I invite you to explore my books, connect and follow me on social media, enrol in my Udemy courses, and those who would love a more personalised approach to book a breakthrough coaching session by contacting my PA at [email protected]
Daily remind yourself that your next chapter isn’t waiting. It’s calling. I am an email away from focusing all your faculties, energy, and resources to climb greater heights.
Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.
Yes — my side hustle didn’t just evolve into my full-time career. It became my life’s mission, my legacy, and a global movement.
For over a decade, I built a successful career in technology, rising through the ranks to lead multi-billion-pound transformation programs as a Senior Information Technologist. But behind the scenes, I was on a parallel journey — one of healing, learning, and deep inner work. I invested heavily in working with therapists, healers, and teachers from around the world. In the evenings and weekends, I applied everything I was learning to help others — quietly building a reputation as a coach, mentor, and healing therapist who could unlock profound breakthroughs.
As I became certified and qualified in multiple disciplines, a network of clients began to form — many of whom insisted that millions could benefit from what I had to offer. Yet at the time, I still loved the corporate world. It wasn’t until I was made redundant that the deeper calling could no longer be ignored. That moment — though painful — became the catalyst for reinvention.
Firstly, I launched a technology consulting company, but I knew I was meant to do more than solve systems problems. I wanted to help people solve the deeper ones: emotional blocks, identity crises, burnout, and the silent suffering behind success.
I increased my investment to 50% of my earnings into personal development and building a business to serve greater amount of people— hiring world-class coaches, attending elite trainings, and gaining qualifications that would allow me to serve at the highest level. That’s when I founded The Velvet Journey — a personal, professional, and spiritual development platform for gay, straight, and bisexual men. What began as a side project quickly grew into a movement, touching lives across cultures and communities.
Every penny I earned, I reinvested into my growth and the business I lead today. I completed Become a Key Person of Influence One Year Busienss Accelerator Program, an entrepreneurial mini MBA, and through that program, I published my first book A Path to Wisdom — which became an international bestseller. That milestone opened doors to global media, keynote stages, and an audience hungry for transformation.
But the real shift came through decades of disciplined inner work. I committed to weekly sessions with mentors, therapists, and expert coaches to confront the fears, doubts, and imposter syndrome that held me back. I dismantled the 9-to-5 mindset and built the confidence, clarity, and strategic thinking required to create the multidimensional, seven-figure business I now lead.
Today, I’m honoured to serve as a global authority on human behaviour, a trusted life strategist, business and executive coach, multi-award-winning author, TEDx speaker, and creator of proprietary methodologies born from three decades of sweat, soul, and strategic refinement.
In my latest book, Climb Greater Heights, I share the 12-Step Growth Accelerator Method® — the exact system I used to build my business and help hundreds of high-achieving entrepreneurs, executives, and leaders elevate their lives, scale their ventures, and build legacy-driven empires.
What began as a side hustle became a global movement. And every step of the journey was built on purpose, discipline, and the unwavering belief that transformation is possible — no matter where you start.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
Reputation is never handed to you. It’s forged in the fire of your choices, the resilience of your spirit, and the way you serve others when nobody’s watching.
My journey didn’t begin in luxury boardrooms or tropical retreats. I was born in a small town, raised among farmers, beekeepers, and a family who built a thriving restaurant business. Those early years taught me the value of hard work, contribution, and service. At nineteen, I was drafted into a civil war. At twenty, I found myself homeless on the streets of London. That crucible of survival became the foundation of who I am today: someone who refuses to let circumstances define him.
When I rebuilt my life, I did it brick by brick, job by job, and step by step. Working three jobs while studying at University College London, I paid my way through a degree in engineering and information technology. I climbed the corporate ladder, managing billion-pound technology transformation programs. But beneath the success, a deeper calling pulled me forward — to dedicate my life to understanding human behaviour, unlocking potential, and guiding others to transform their own lives.
Reputation for me has never been about noise. It’s been about showing up consistently and authentically. Whether I’m coaching a CEO under immense pressure, mentoring a young entrepreneur just starting out, or standing on a TEDx stage, I bring the same relentless commitment: to elevate, to serve, and to ignite the spark of possibility in others.
What sets me apart is the depth and breadth of my journey. I’ve invested over 28,000 hours in coaching and training, and more than three decades in research that blends psychology, neuroscience, philosophy, spirituality, business, and leadership. I’ve developed unique methodologies like The Octagon of Excellence®, The Unfakeable Code® Five-Step Method, and the 12-Step Growth Accelerator Method®, which have helped entrepreneurs, executives, celebrities, and Fortune 500 leaders create quantum leaps in performance, success, and wellbeing.
I’ve written five books — A Path to Wisdom, #Loneliness: The Virus of the Modern Age, The Unfakeable Code®, A Path to Excellence, and Climb Greater Heights. Together, they’ve won more than 100 international awards and inspired readers across the globe. They’ve been endorsed by luminaries like Dr. John Demartini, Jack Canfield, Brian Tracy, Marie Diamond, and Hollywood actress AnnaLynne McCord. They’ve been displayed on billboards in Times Square and translated into multiple languages.
Media has amplified this message to millions: over 1,000 TV, radio, and podcast interviews, appearances on ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, BBC, and in leading magazines. Documentaries like Living My Illusion and The Truth Hurts brought my coaching work to the screen, winning awards in Los Angeles and Hollywood and sparking conversations about truth, lies, and transformation.
Then there are my retreats — Climb Greater Heights™ Life and Business Mastery — held in exclusive destinations like Bora Bora, St Lucia, the Maldives, Fiji, Dubai, London, Luzern and Los Angeles. These aren’t about luxury for luxury’s sake; they’re sanctuaries where leaders, entrepreneurs, and visionaries can unplug, reflect, and reinvent themselves with me as their trusted guide.
My clients often describe me as the “Dior of Personal Development” because I bring precision, elegance, and uncompromising quality to the work I do. I’ve been blessed to coach and advise people from every walk of life: billionaires, doctors, politicians, scientists, royals, lawyers, financiers, tech entrepreneuurs, filmmakers, and artists — each one leaving with greater clarity, authenticity, and power to shape their lives and legacies.
But what truly defines my reputation isn’t the awards, the books, or the accolades. It’s trust. It’s the countless private conversations where someone felt safe enough to reveal the truth of who they are. It’s the breakthroughs I’ve witnessed in the eyes of clients who thought they were broken, only to discover their brilliance. It’s the lives, businesses, and legacies transformed because I dared to walk beside them, through the chaos, into clarity.
I didn’t just build a business. I built a movement. My mission is to inspire and educate one billion people to master their lives and become leaders in their communities. And I continue to evolve, because the people I serve deserve nothing less.
That’s how reputations are built — not by what you say about yourself, but by your actions and how deeply you impact the world around you.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://tonyselimi.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tonyjselimi/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tonyjselimipublic/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonyjselimi/
- Twitter: https://x.com/TonyJSelimi
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TonyJetonSelimi
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/tonyjselimi
Image Credits
Photo of me – Tony J. Selimi – Jim Jordan
Photo of the Book Award – Tony Jeton Selimi